A cycling vacation that won't disappoint
Our Solvang cycling camp is all about getting on the bike and loving every minute of it. Eat, sleep, ride, drink amazing wine, and let us take care of the details. It’s basically a vacation for those who are passionate about being on the bike. At this camp, we’ll ride all the highlights the Santa Ynez Valley offers. Solvang and the Santa Ynez Valley are well known to the wine connoisseur as a highly desirable region off the beaten wine vineyard path in a beautiful part of the central coast of California. The same appeal rings true for cyclists, and the quiet country roads offer a paradise for those looking for an escape. Professional cycling teams have used this area as a base for training camps, especially because in both 2007 & 2009 The Amgen Tour of California had time trials in the Santa Ynez Valley. We’ll be staying just outside Solvang at the award-winning Ballard Inn & Restaurant. When not out riding, we’ll have plenty of time to relax and indulge in some of the region’s finest food and wines.
The Food
The Ballard Inn & Gathering Table is the focal point of our meals during our Solvang camps. The Ballard Inn provides a healthy breakfast with plenty of variety each morning before we head out on our ride. In addition, we’ll be in good hands with award-winning Chef Budi Kazali serving up three delicious dinners on-site at The Ballard Inn. Our other two dinners are out at favorite local restaurants in Solvang & Buellton. All meals are covered by The Cycling House, and we will run a separate tab for beer & wine. In keeping with tradition, this camp also includes Cycling House staff-prepared lunches served family-style after rides or a picnic lunch during the ride. The food in Solvang is fantastic and we look forward to sharing this awesome experience with you.
The Rides
The cycling in Solvang has some of the best qualities that we all look for in perfect rides. The majority of roads in the valley are low-traffic and often times only lead to farms, vineyards or up into the surrounding national forest. Most refer to Mount Figueroa as the crown jewel of cycling in the valley. The ride can be done a variety of ways but at the shortest, it is a 40-mile loop with 5,000 feet of climbing and with steepest grades of 8-10% . The climb is epic and offers spectaculars views of the surrounding mountains, Santa Ynez Valley and the Pacific ocean. The descent down from Mount Figueroa resembles a European descent. It empties out into the valley that passes Michael Jackson’s old Neverland Ranch before hitting Los Olivos, which offers wine tasting rooms for many of the surrounding wineries. Mount Figueroa might be the crown jewel but Santa Rosa road, Jalama Beach road, Foxen Canyon, Ballard Canyon and host of other roads offer equally amazing rides. In our week of training, we will hit the best of the best and cap it all off with an 85-mile ride to the Pacific Ocean. The riding in the area speaks for itself and you will quickly see why many professional cycling teams have used this area to train for their European races. We have a few options that we use for the camp itinerary.
